Closed Note
by Kanoe Nanashichi
Summary: Inspired by a movie of the same name. When Takao moves into his new apartment, he finds a collection of items left behind by the previous owner. Like little horoscope predictions, they help him with his life, his budding career, and an emerald-haired man that he somehow can't seem to avoid. Mainly MidoTaka, with hints of other common pairings. AU, slight language, slice of life.
1. Chapter 1

**((A.N:** Firstly hi and welcome to this new fic :'D It's kind of a pet project that I've been working on for some time now with more careful planning than I'd usually invest. I'm taking liberties that may well later prove to be wrong, like say Takao's sister's name. Massive spoilers for the fic if you've seen the movie xD But yes, this project is… Really something I've put a lot of effort into and I love it to bits, so I hope that you guys, whoever reads this, can enjoy it too Cheers~!**))**

Takao gave a quick check, re-counting the boxes sitting in the living room before turning back to the mover standing at the door. "Aaaand that's it! Thanks for your help!" He grinned before taking the pen he was handed and signing where he was told. Honestly he _would_ have preferred to take care of all the moving and whatnot himself, but band practices he needed to attend and a part-time job on the side meant he simply didn't have time to.

Not to mention there were boxes of music equipment that he simply didn't fancy hefting up a flight of stairs to the second floor where his apartment was.

Which was why his senior, taking a day off from work, decided to come help.

"Oi, Takao! Don't just stand there!" Hearing that, Takao sprinted back into the room, grabbing the other end of a large box his blond senior had attempted to shift. "Aaand there." He huffed after putting it down, sitting back when Takao dug out a penknife to slit open the tape. "... Don't tell me that's your underwear box." He snickered with a gag, nose scrunched.

"No way senpai. It's my porn stash."

With that he immediately received a smack and the additional threat of a truck fender to the face. The boys burst into bouts of snickering laughter before proceeding to unpack the box full of clothes.

Takao continued cutting open boxes, occasionally shouting instructions to his senior who seemed to be snooping around the small apartment and looking through his stuff more than anything else. "Hey Takao, I didn't know you had interests like this!" He shouted suddenly, holding up a fairly large jar that seemed to be exploding with color. Takao caught a brief glance of it before a leaning tower of boxes threatened to collapse, demanding his attention.

"Just put it away!" He yelled in response, trying to prop up the pile with his meager frame. The taller boy shrugged and plonked the large jar back into the cupboard.

Just as Takao arranged a stack of magazines into a reasonably tidy pile, he heard the taller male's voice again, this time hushed to a harsh whisper, coming from an adjacent room. "Hey Takao, get your ass over here."

"Miyaji senpai, I'm busy here in case you..."

The blond emerged from the room, grabbing Takao's wrist. "Shh! Just get your ass over here" He hissed, pulling the raven-haired boy into the room, plastering himself against the wall as inched over to the window and pointed out. "Look, there's someone outside, down there."

"Eh?" Without thinking half as much about being covert, he looked out the window, half expecting it to be a prank. However, sure enough, there stood a fairly tall guy with oddly emerald-green hair and black framed glasses; it soon became obvious to Takao that the man was looking up at him too.

After the fleeting split second that their gazes met, the man downstairs turned to walk off, leaving Takao mildly confused and his senior mock-panicking about having a stalker in the neighborhood, threatening the chastity of his darling junior.

The following few hours passed with dust drifting through the air, two boys tripping over boxes, stubbing toes on unfamiliar walls and merciless pokes at Takao's personal belongings. By the time the raven-haired boy walked his senior downstairs, the streetlights had already begun their night-time marathon, lazily illuminating the occasional cat slinking in or out of alleyways. Miyaji dusted off his hands, wiping his forehead on his shirt before turning back to his junior.

"Takao, I guess it's kinda late to say this but, it's fine if you want to go on staying with us yanno." The tall blond muttered eventually, golden eyes slightly lidded and his face in the shadows.

Takao gave a chuckle, shrugging with his hands in his pockets. "Nah, I can't keep on staying with you guys after all. Besides, I'll bet Narie already hates me for being a huge cockblock. Ehhh?" With that and a grin, Takao gave his senior a none too subtle nudge to the ribs, prompting another 'traffic accident' threat. The chuckles eventually died down, Takao heaving a sigh and giving his senior a pat on the back. "Thanks for helping me out, brother-in-law."

"Oi, not yet." Miyaji stuttered, scratching the back of his head, a visible blush appearing on his face. "And even if I marry Narie don't call me that, it sounds way too weird coming from you."

"Haha! I guess it does."

Fin. 21 Mar 2013.


	2. Chapter 2

**((A.N:** I am… REALLY sorry for the sudden smack to the face about Miyaji being engaged to Takao's little sister :'D This is a fairly long chapter to set the scene, but overall progress of this fic will be rather slow. Do hang around, I really love and appreciate all my viewers~ Reviews welcome!**))**

Takao plodded back upstairs and settled onto the couch after seeing Miyaji off. Everything was more or less in place, and he himself was finally left in peace. He took a good look around the room; it was slightly old, but well kept. Everything was oddly in order despite it having been hastily vacated only not too long ago.

It was an odd feeling. He could almost sense the presence of the previous owner.

Heaving a sigh, Takao settled on the couch and reached for his guitar. First and foremost he had songs to practice for; there was the public performance happening soon after all. As the vocalist and second guitarist of an upcoming band, he had to be ready.

Despite his telling himself that, the humidity from late spring was just a little too much for him, especially after having worked manual labor most the day prior.

Well, he told himself, it would be good to get acquainted with the hot water heater first. Especially if it was as finicky as the one in his sister's apartment. Setting his guitar down again, he snatched up a towel and headed into his room, opening the cupboard to grab a set of clothes...

That is, before an explosion of color sitting silently in the bottom corner peeked out at him.

Intrigued, Takao squatted in front of the cupboard, getting a better glance. It was a simple enough looking glass jar, fairly large, with a wide lid covered in Japanese printed fabric for a better seal. The clashing neon colors weren't, as he'd thought, the jar itself, but hundreds and hundreds of little paper cranes; each meticulously folded and threaded, forming strings of the paper crafts all crammed into that container.

That probably explained Miyaji's reaction earlier on in the day. Takao however was pretty sure the jar didn't belong to him, he'd never even seen it before. When he looked into the cupboard behind where the jar had been, there seemed to be even more things he didn't deem to be familiar. A small stuffed toy keychain (which, to Takao's mind, looked hideous), an oddly rectangular piece of glass, a small envelope full of movie stubs, bus tickets, candy wrappers... So on. The most curious little collection of oddities.

Takao let out a quizzical "... Huh", before opening the jar, and pulling out one string of cranes. There were small ones, larger ones, little individual ones that either didn't belong to a string or had fallen off. Some were folded in the wrong way from being crammed into the jar, some had been flattened, some looked as if they'd never been opened at all.

But in the center, was a string of particularly large cranes. And if that in itself wasn't curious enough, Takao noted, those larger cranes seemed to be the only ones that were just... White. No splashes of color, no elaborate printed patterns, no glittering paper or little doodled drawings on the wings.

They were just that, white, plain, clean.

Takao picked one up by the wing, only to discover that all of the large cranes were strung together, forming a single strand. Intrigued, he held the string up above his head, large white cranes dangling over his head...

That was when he saw, against the light, writing concealed within the wings.

For the most curious of moments Takao felt as if he'd found something he ought not to have touched, and let go of the string, cranes falling to the ground by his feet. At this point he was sure enough that the jar, along with the other odds and ends belonged to someone else; most likely the person who lived there before him. Immediately, he ran down to the management.

The old man fingered through what looked like an old guest book with fingers pruned by age, going through the records through glasses that looked thick enough to concuss someone if thrown. "The person who lived there?" He croaked, voice trembling and aged. "Hmm... I'm pretty sure that guy was... Oh wait, I'm sorry lad, I can't tell ya."

"Ehh? Why?" Takao whined in dismay.

"The people who moved his things out said specifically not to tell anyone where he was moving to or what his name was. Big guys, wearing suits and everything, sunglasses even. Don't know what that was about, maybe he was the bocchama of some kind of yakuza organization." The old man cackled, while Takao stepped back and felt a chilly shudder trickle down his spine. "Real quick about it too, the day before he was still returning to his apartment like nothing happened, the next day he was gone."

"Uhh, ok then, sorry for disturbing you." Takao stammered, rushing back upstairs to go and take that shower he'd delayed for long enough already.

Thankfully, the water heater worked fine. The shower helped Takao clear his head, but no matter what he did, he just couldn't ignore the splash of color sitting in front of the open cupboard where he'd left it. Towel over his head, Takao knelt in front of it again, staring at the pure white cranes, little lines of writing peeking out from under their bashfully curled wings.

With a grunt, the boy grabbed everything, stuffed it carefully back into the jar, and jammed the lid back on before pushing it back into the cupboard.

A few hours after, and all Takao could really get from his guitar was random plinks and picks that didn't seem to form a coherent song at all. Frustrated, he set down his guitar, pulled out his earphones and paused his iPod... Subconsciously glancing towards the cupboard in his bedroom. By the time he noticed he was actually staring at it, a good few minutes had already slipped by him.

Gingerly biting his lips, Takao stepped up off the couch, heading towards the cupboard and settling himself down in front of it. Slowly, slowly he pulled the door open, his own clothes beginning to overpower the scent of the previous tenant. Hands, shaking ever so slightly, reached into the cupboard and pulled out the jar.

Takao looked around him, before pulling the lid off and reaching for the large, white cranes. Carefully, ever so carefully, he pulled the first one off the string and unfolded it.

Rather... Hasty handwriting, or was it excited, Takao couldn't tell. The horizontal lines seemed to be skewed into a rising angle, as if the writer couldn't wait to get on to her... Or his next word. Despite this seeming more like a female hobby, Takao distinctly recalled the old man at management had mentioned the previous tenant being a guy. Punctuation was frequent, Takao could almost hear the content being read out loud in an overly caffeinated squirrel voice. Intrigued, Takao sat down where he was, eyes scanning the content.

_[Huu~ So, I'm finally done unpacking, it's been awhile since I've had this much space to myself. But I guess that means I'd get bored too haha. Well, I just thought I'd resume this little hobby of mine, even though mom said it was girly and boy shouldn't do it. I mean, what's so bad about folding cranes? Folding 1000 of them brings good luck right? I guess she just doesn't like that I write in them. Anyway, there's gonna be a reunion-]_

He jolted in shock when his cellphone rang, playing cruelly on his guilty conscience. Creased paper still in hand, he walked over to his guitar and collected his phone from the coffee table, briefly glancing at the caller ID. "Hey, Narie?"

"Niichan!" Came her excited voice, the sound of a nighttime TV drama blaring in the background. "How's the new place? Sorry I couldn't go over, my boss just _wouldn't_ let me take the day off." Takao quickly assured his sister it was alright, and for the briefest of moments there was silence between them. "... Yanno, Niichan. I'm pretty sure Kiyoshi said this already but... It's really ok if you stay with us." She said, voice lowering to a sniffle.

"Oi Narie, don't go all sappy on me, if senpai isn't home yet who's gonna comfort you?" Despite his unwavering voice, he had the same queasy feeling in his nose as he heard his sister giggling.

"But niichan, it's like..." She gave another sniffle, muffled by a hand. "We've never been apart like this before, and the first time it happens I can't even be there."

"That's my line, crybaby..." He whispered gently, wishing more than anything to be able to ruffle his sister's jet black hair, and gather her into one of the rough man-hugs she'd always complain about but never pull away from. "I'll go visit you when I'm free yeah?"

"Promise?"

"... Yeah, I promise."

Fin. 24 Mar 2013.


	3. Chapter 3

**((A.N.: **Hope you're liking the story so far~ Here Takao's in kind of a bad mood and not feeling well (for plot purposes you understand!) so do pardon some of the language~ **))**

The moment when Takao's alarm went off that morning was not a pleasant one. He felt sluggish, his body was aching, and as much as he was normally inclined, there didn't seem to be a muscle in him that was prepped and ready for getting his ass out the door that morning. A quick call and good relationships with helpful co-workers meant his shift at the nearby convenience store was taken care of, but he would still need to drag himself out of bed to visit a clinic.

Reluctantly, the man managed to coax himself into the bathroom to wash up, hobbling his way carefully down the stairs and getting directions from the old man at management. He didn't seem to notice Takao's fragile state of health, probably because his last optical appointment had been around when Columbus landed. At least, that was what a very moody Takao thought to himself while he made his sorry way to the clinic.

The wait for his turn seemed either like torture, or being forced to take naps in kindergarten. Slipping in and out of disturbed sleep, he didn't really know if he was tired or not. Whatever it was, the moment he heard a nurse calling his name could not have come a second sooner.

After waddling slowly to the examination room he was directed to, the nurse knocked on the door. "Midorima sensei? Your next patient is here."

_Midorima? What kind of weird-ass name is that?_ Takao immediately thought to himself, half-heartedly trying to pick out the kanji to it; obviously his state of health wasn't affecting his mood in the slightest.

"Send him in."

His next thought was a bit more on the bright side; the doctor, whoever he was, had a nice voice. Being a vocalist meant this was somewhat a little hobby of Takao's. He walked in, sniffling before looking up to see an impressively tall frame, plus an unmistakable head of emerald green hair.

The moment Midorima looked up from his writing, he immediately noticed that the patient was staring at him. _Him_, not the large Ultraman figurine sitting on his desk. In fact it seemed as if Midorima's lucky item of the day hadn't even registered to this particular patient.

"Ahem."

"Huh?"

"What seems to be the problem?"

"Uhh, I don't know." Midorima raised a brow before Takao realized how foolishly he must have been acting. "Uhm, I mean... My whole body's aching, there's a bit of a sore throat and I have a fever right now." The doctor, seemingly unimpressed, immediately turned to his desk and reached for a spatula.

Takao obediently opened his mouth on command, but the moment Midorima came closer, he realized he couldn't be as nonchalant about it as the doctor was. Deliberately he had to force his eyes off the taller man, with varying success. Glances now and then told Takao why it was that he doctor looked as if he had eyeliner on; his lower lashes were long and dark, making the man look almost Mediterranean. Though, in a pleasant sort of way, and not too much. He looked almost like a mixed-blood. Takao by then had started wondering if he could get a better look without those glasses in the way...

Even after Midorima pulled the oversized popstick from Takao's mouth and tossed it into a nearby bin, the shorter man was still staring. "It's probably just a flu." Came the conclusion soon after, the doctor turning back to his desk and scribbling on a card. "But it doesn't look bacterial so you don't need medication. I'll just... What?"

The moment those emerald green eyes turned to him, Takao gulped ever slightly. He'd just been caught in the act, thankfully though even in this state of health he was quick with his words. "Uhm. I kind of need my voice so, how long is it gonna take till I get better?"

"Depends." Came the immediate reply, hastened by experience perhaps. "All you need is two to three days of rest. If it doesn't get better after that come back for another check-up, but you should be fine."

"Ah, ok... I guess."

Hearing this, the doctor turned back to his patient, puzzled. "... Is there anything else you're concerned about?"

In fact there was. Takao was DYING to know why a doctor would have bandages on a perfectly fine left hand that he'd just been writing with. Though, looking at his face, Takao couldn't help getting a feeling that the man before him was merely obligated to sound nice. Especially judging by how his eyebrows seemed to be frozen in a "V" shape.

"... Nope, nothing."

Only after he hobbled home did Takao realize what a tall order he'd been given. Despite what the doctor said, Takao simply couldn't 'just get some rest', as much as he'd have loved to. The man lay on his bed, pondering, wondering, his thoughts attaching to anything but drowsiness. Frustrated, he turned once more, this time facing the coffee table in his living room.

The unfolded paper crane sat there patiently where he'd left it when his sister called the previous night.

Takao had pretty much given up all hopes of falling asleep at that point, and it didn't take very much for him to decide on his next distraction. Soon enough he returned to his bed, the unfolded paper held in his slightly shaking hands as he crawled back under the covers. It took him awhile to find where he'd paused the other night...

_[-reunion tomorrow, for the basketball team in middle school. I heard Kurokocchi and Murasakibaracchi (that's still such a mouthful wwww) have settled down with people already, I wonder what kind of people they are~ Ahh, better take a few photos of the house too to show off my new place ;P]_

Reading the hyper-sounding speech patterns, Takao didn't know why but it made him feel slightly better. It did feel a little odd; all the names he didn't know, people, places, this guy was writing about them so freely and naturally. That thought tucked aside for the moment, he continued reading.

_[Oh and, I heard from Momoicchi that he' be going too, Shin.]_

Takao raised an eyebrow, the blanket sliding from his shoulder as he sat up, the paper still pinched between his fingers.

Whoever this guy was, he seemed to refer to everyone with those weird, mangled nicknames that seemed just a tad unnecessary. Why was this _Shin_ person different?

If he wanted an answer to that though, Takao duly noted, he'd need to further invade the previous tenant's privacy.

Aside from the date, "Shin" had been the last word on that crane.

Fin. 2 Apr 2013.


	4. Chapter 4

Reasonably, Takao found himself caught in a dilemma. Why would the previous owner have left behind something that was essentially his diary? The management did mention that he had left in a hurry, but surely even _that_ wasn't reason enough for him to leave something like this behind?

Glancing at the next paper crane on the string, Takao _knew_ his curiosity was mercilessly clawing at him inside. He bit his lip, reached for it, hesitated and returned to his sitting position. Still not entirely well, and bored as heck to boot, he'd been pretty much doing what he had the night before; staring at the cranes, trying to practice guitar, giving up and staring at the cranes some more.

Hell, even his laptop and internet connection wasn't a sufficient deterrent.

"Maybe..." Takao mused aloud, tapping his lips. "Maybe he wrote his name or something inside, or where he planned to move to?"

He knew he was just trying to convince himself to open the darn thing. Sure enough, that thought shattered his remaining doubts, and he plucked the next white crane from the string.

_[Uwaaah, today was the best!]_ It wrote, in the same upwards slanting writing with long flicked strokes and emoticons aplenty.

_[Even though I was late and got told off by Akashicchi... But Aominecchi was even later so I guess I'm alright wwww. Most of the time I was talking to Momoicchi, Murasakibaracchi just kept on eating and barely said anything haha! Though, the person Murasakibaracchi is dating seems to be pretty close to Kagamicchi, he's the guy Kurokocchi settled down with (I'm a little jealous, Kurokocchiiii TxT). Seems like they both came back from America or something.]_

First thought, influx of unfamiliar names making his head hurt. Secondly, it may have been some sort of paparazzi mentality, but somewhy, like a teenage girl reading a romance novel, Takao couldn't wait for the reappearance of that "Shin", the one that this guy was obviously interested in. It _did_ occur to him to search for the names on his laptop, but he preferred to think he hadn't descended to that level of voyeurism yet.

"... Speaking of 'this guy'..." Takao frowned, leaning his chin lazily on a hand while he looked around his room. He couldn't go on referring to the mysterious author as "this guy" forever. Laid languidly on the couch, Takao's eyes scanned the newly furbished room, searching for anything that might have inspired a temporary name. Keen eyesight soon found a magazine he'd picked up on whim a few days ago, sitting quietly on his coffee table.

Takao quickly picked out the first name his eyes landed on. That settled, he turned back to the paper, resuming his scan to look for information on this "Shin" guy that _Ryou_ was obviously interested in.

_[It still seems odd to me that Shin always hangs out with Akashicchi whenever we meet up. I mean, back when they were captain and vice I can understand, but even now? Well, I guess Shin is the only one smart enough to keep Akashicchi company, I'm a little jealous hehe. But Shin is still a little weird, with all of his habits, nothing's really changed I guess haha.]_

Whistling in amusement, Takao affirmed his suspicion that Ryou was romantically interested in this Shin person. It was an interesting feeling, like a new format of some kind of novel; though, Takao wouldn't have known, he had never been too big on reading.

He did bother to take a second to sternly remind himself that he was looking for an address or a name.

_[The dinner went alright, Aominecchi kept telling me to go on drinking and got told off by Momoicchi haha. They're still the same, bickering all the time. It's really cute, but Momoicchi told me she'd never date "Dai chan". Then later on... Well...]_

Well? Takao thought, raising an eyebrow but eager to read more.

_[Well... I don't know if I should've known this all along, but Akashicchi is kind of scary with sake hehe. So, the only person chatting with him, Shin, got... I'm sorry, COMPLETELY SMASHED. No one can realistically say no to Akashicchi after all wwww. Somehow everyone else was busy so I ended up having to bring Shin to the bathroom to wash up. He looked... Cute. No no! Don't get me wrong I don't have that kind of interest!]_

The exclaimer came right on time, helping Takao unfurrow his brows and salvage some of Ryou's reputation. For that he was grateful, it felt almost like he was talking to this person face to face.

_[But... Shin had always looked kind of... Well, really pretty, even though he's taller than I am. I guess, I'm really happy that I got to meet him again even though I decided by myself to end everything back in middle school.]_

That was the end of that paper crane, and Takao laid it down next to the first one, sprawled open unceremoniously on his coffee table. The fact that he didn't find an address or a name was one of the last things that occurred to him as he swished the words through his mind again and again.

Absent-mindedly, he pulled the blanket on his shoulders a little tighter, and grabbed the unraveled pieces of paper, quickly looking for an origami crane tutorial on his laptop.

Fin. 3 Apr 2013


	5. Chapter 5

**((A.N.:** And so they get to interact a little more~ I know Midorima will appear a little OOC here, but trust me it's for good reason~ Thanks so far for all the lovely reviews people, you're the best!**))**

Just as the doctor had suggested, Takao found himself getting noticeably better within a few (rather idle) days. Though, it surprised him that even in his boredom, he hadn't proceeded to read any more of the paper cranes. He _had_, however, learned how to fold them back into their original, more appealing origami form. Although still feeling queasy every now and then when moving about, he decided to drag himself out of the apartment anyway. After all, he didn't exactly enjoy being smothered by sarcastic concern from his band mates. Though not in top shape, he was confident enough in himself to start working again at least, meaning he probably didn't need to go see that green-haired doctor again.

Takao wasn't exactly sure how he felt about that.

He retracted the kickstand on his bike, pedalling down to work; until he ran into the very same doctor that he'd just been thinking about mere seconds ago.

"Ah, sensei." He quipped, punching the brakes and grinding to a whining halt right in front of the tall man. "Thanks for the day before, sorry if I was acting a little off." Takao admitted with a chuckle, earning himself a quick pardon. Though, he quickly noticed the doctor didn't seem to be paying too much attention to him; rather, he was focused on their surroundings.

"You live around here?" The taller man muttered eventually, focusing on one of the windows that, if Takao's memory was correct, belonged to his living room.

Takao stopped, turning to his apartment and pointing at the window he'd first saw the other man from when moving in. "Yeah I do, right up there."

"Hmm..." Neither of them said anything, though on Takao's part it was mainly because of his attempts to force himself to remember the guy's name.

"Mi... Midori something..."

"Midorima."

"Ah, right, sorry. Midorima sensei, you live around here too?"

_Way to go_, Takao suddenly realized, _asking a man you've only met twice where he lives._

But that was when it occurred to him that the doctor had just done the exact same thing. "Not exactly. Just that I need to pass through here to get to the clinic."

"Oh, I see." Takao cringed at the stale air between them, saying that the situation was awkward would have been a criminal understatement. "Well, I kinda have to..."

Before he could mention he was 3 minutes away from being late to work, the doctor spoke up again. "Do you mind? If I... See what it looks like?"

There was a large multitude of things that could have caught Takao unawares those few days, the majority of which he would have considered himself as having handled rather well. That bolt from the blue however, he honestly never saw coming. In fact, the moment he'd pieced together enough of his scattered focus to attempt a response, he realized that Midorima seemed to be even more embarrassed by the request than he'd been.

Behind black-framed glasses, his green eyes were turned away from Takao, a meticulously bandaged hand reaching to cover his mouth. Though as large as his perfect hands were, they didn't quite cover the impressive blush he was sporting. If first impressions were anything to go by, Takao would never have guessed Midorima would have been capable of making a face like that. It was hard to admit, but he looked almost... Cute.

"If it's a bother then nevermind." The doctor added immediately, turning as if he was well ready to leave. Not too sure why, Takao urged himself to reach for the other man, grasping the edge of his sleeve.

"Uhm, it's... Well, just that right now I'm running late for work, so... Maybe some other time."

For a moment the both of them stood there, not too sure what was really going on. Takao for one was wrecking his nerves. Efforts poured entirely into figuring out how to stop Midorima from thinking he was a loose guy who'd let anyone into his home.

"Were you looking at that apartment?" He offered cheerfully. "It's closer to the clinic than where you're staying now isn't it."

He didn't know if it was his imagination that Midorima seemed to grab onto that reasoning like a salvage rope. The taller man nodded, still reluctant to look directly at the patient he didn't have any problems facing a few short days ago. "I uhh... Heard that it recently got vacated, so I thought I'd take a look." Takao nodded his head, feigning interest.

He was right, the raven-haired man chuckled to himself while taking another glance at the doctor. Midorima _did_ look cute.

"Well... I'm kind of busy at the moment, but if the lights are on from that window then I'm probably in, just ring the doorbell." He grinned, kicking the pedal on his bike into position before mounting again. "But like I said, I really have to rush now, I'll seeya some other time sensei!"

Midorima nodded, still not looking at Takao directly. He gave a little wave just as Takao pedalled off.

Even with chiding from his manager, Takao smiled incessantly while putting on his work uniform; being 10 minutes late had never been more worth it.

Fin. 3 Apr 2013


	6. Chapter 6

**((A.N.: **I want first of all to thank all the lovely reviewers~ Secondly, this chapter is where Takao makes a little discovery~ Enjoy!**))**

Takao's job wasn't an impressive one, working stock checks and counter at a nearby convenience store. But it did give him enough, along with payment for gigs here and there, to sustain a very simple life. Thankfully for him, his band was starting to take off, so regular performances meant he was able to get enough savings to move out and live on his own. After all, having to live with your Highschool senior and his girlfriend (your younger sister, oh joy), was best described as a love-hate kind of situation.

The simple framework of his life however, meant that aside from his band career, Takao didn't focus on many things. That, in turn, lead to him thinking about the same things throughout the day at work.

Paper cranes, doctors with bandaged fingers, emerald-green hair.

By the time his shift was over, he was pretty sure the chaotic state of the coin tray in his cash register was indication enough of his distraction. When he thought of the reason though, there really wasn't any other than the possibility of Midorima stopping by his place. What really irked Takao though was the circumstances that morning meant he had no idea _when_ this might occur. Whilst changing out of his work attire, part of him started fantasizing about what might happen. Perhaps Midorima would walk into the convenience store and they'd laugh after an awkward greeting, proceeding then to plan when it was the doctor would visit.

Those were all problems for another time, Takao quickly bid his co-workers goodbye before pedalling back out into the neighbourhood and hurrying home with a haste he never remembered having prior.

For some strange reason, the first thing that he decided to do once he stepped through the door was to clean up the apartment; a thought that may not have occurred to him in a month or so otherwise. He'd forgotten the operating hours of that clinic, but Midorima's job did seem to be the type to demand long hours of attention. Regardless, he shuffled his belongings around, tidying them up a little better than "it's fine there", as Miyaji had so eloquently put it. Books arranged on shelves instead of into piles, clothes hung up or folded instead of hanging by the door, dishes and cups washed instead of dumped into the sink.

Following which Takao proceeded to clean up the coffee table and living area; pausing for a moment wondering as he gently lifted a white paper crane off the table by its' wing. He considered showing his bizarre finding to the doctor, after all Midorima had lived in the area for longer than he had, perhaps he'd know something about the previous tenant.

Then again, just the idea of Midorima finding out that he'd read a couple of them already just didn't sit too well with him.

That was all it took for Takao to decide on shoving the glass jar back into its' rightful place at the back of the closet.

Apartment reasonably clean, Takao settled down on his couch by the window and peered outside; no sign of the doctor yet, or perhaps Midorima had already gone home. At any rate, after a minute or two of watching the streets like a lovesick maiden, he reached for his guitar and started practising.

An hour went by, and another, plinking on the guitar was left undisturbed.

Before long Takao had pretty much memorized the only new song he was supposed to play at the upcoming gig; still no sign of a tall man in a white coat.

He let out a sigh he didn't realise he'd been holding, and put his guitar away. It was late, so he told himself. But more than anything he didn't want to stay up long enough to realize what the ache in his chest was.

Disappointment, perhaps?

It didn't take long of him tossing and turning in his bed for Takao to turn towards the closet, eyes fixated on it as if expecting something to come out from the closed doors. Dark-adjusted eyes could almost picture the glass jar sitting obediently at the back of the closet, and in seconds Takao was up, padding across the room to retrieve the jar.

He quickly settled on his bed, unfolding a new crane as his free hand hit the bedside lamp switch.

_[I... Dreamt of Shin yesterday. After so long... Somewhy I still feel sad, hehe. Even though I'd decided to end everything back then. But hey, I guess it's forgivable, after meeting up with them and everything ww. It's funny, I've never really had to deal with anyone as dense as Shin, so, I suppose having someone like him around was kind of a shock for me at first.]_

Dense huh, Takao thought silently. He hadn't had to deal with dense people for quite a bit of time at that point. After all, he just had a guy asking to be invited to his place; that was enough to get him wondering if he really _was_ still living in Japan. It seemed the social norm suddenly shifted without him noticing.

Blinking heavily, Takao got up from his bed, flipping on light switches in the apartment as he made his way to the kitchen.

_[... But that part of Shin really interested me. How he acted so different from everyone else I'd dealt with up till then.] _He read, tearing open a sachet of coffee. _[Usually when I deal with people it's so easy, because of my looks perhaps, hehe... Does that sound a little conceited I wonder?] _"Yes, yes it does", Takao murmured out loud while moving his coffee to the sofa under his window. _[Well, I guess before I knew it really, I started paying more attention to him than I should have. His little quirks and habits, his obsessions www. How he always wore his tie and uniform so properly in middle school.]_

Takao wasn't quite sure what it was, but as he continued reading, there was the image of one person getting increasingly vivid in his mind. The more he read Ryou's words, the more it described how he felt.

How he paid attention to the bandaging on Midorima's hands, the shade of green of his hair, how tall he was compared to Takao himself, and, laughably enough, how proper he always seemed, both in attire and how he dealt with patients. He took one last look out the window, down to an empty street. No sign of a tall bespectacled doctor.

_[Sometimes I really wonder... If I really do still love him. Like I used to back then.]_

"Ah," Takao let out a little sigh, still cradling a mug of instant coffee. "So that's what this feeling is."

Fin. 31 May 2013


	7. Chapter 7

**((A.N.: **I apologize if it seems like things are going a little fast, this will all be explained later on in the story, I promise! Thanks again to everyone for sticking around :) Reviews welcome!**))**

"Weeeiiiirrrrrd..." Takao mumbled into a map he held to his face. "It should be around here..." To be frank, he considered his eyes to be pretty darn good; in fact well above average despite him not doing anything in particular to protect them. Even in the dark hours of dusk right after his job shift, he wouldn't have thought he'd have had too much trouble finding his way around. Specifically, he was looking for the bar that his band had been invited to perform at the coming weekend; so far though it eluded even his keen vision. While he was home sick, his bandmates had helpfully nominated him to scout the location beforehand. Not that he really minded; he was good at it for one, and his place was nearby for two.

Which was why, the scenario of him aimlessly wandering around the same neighbourhood for half an hour hadn't really occurred to him. He sincerely regretted not getting a higher resolution map, wandering into a familiar looking street for what must have been the 4th or 5th time, depending solely on a map the size of a matchbox.

Scratching his head, he looked up and around, the faintest ever sound of music suddenly drifting into his ears. Well, that was a good sign. It was a music themed bar after all, chances were good that the music would lead him to the place he was looking for.

That thought in mind, he stuffed the largely unhelpful map into his pocket and started off towards the direction of music.

It wasn't exactly what Takao was used to hearing. Instead of a band, it was a single instrument with no accompanying vocals. What instrument it was took him getting a bit closer; with time he realized it must have been a piano. Takao heaved a sigh, knowing that this probably meant the music wasn't coming from the place he seeked.

Just as he turned on his heel to leave though, he stopped, stayed where he was for a second, as if suddenly curious. It only took a moment more of listening to the piano for him to make up his mind, and Takao continued on his way, walking towards the music, unsure of the reason.

The tune wasn't familiar, Takao was sure he'd never heard it before; not to mention it wasn't the genre he was used to hearing at all. Still it attracted him, in the way that thirst longs for water, not wine. He continued walking, scanning the windows of apartment buildings, houses, condominiums. The music steadily got louder, Takao amusedly thinking to himself how his average sense of hearing had helped him more in this situation than his prided vision.

After awhile, Takao found himself standing under a pretty decent looking apartment block; not too tall, quick eyeball counted 7 floors. The music didn't sound very distant, and sure enough Takao's eyes quickly picked out a well-lit room on the 3rd floor; the movements of the silhouette against the curtain matching perfectly to the music. Letting out a little whistle, he stopped to listen, leaning against the block across the street.

The piano was well tuned, the pianist was confident, obviously more than a simple amateur or student. The sound was smooth and fluid, but still in a way rigid to the core. Being a musician himself, with that alone, Takao could tell the perfection came not from genius, but muscle memory, honed in hours and hours of practice. Probably someone who had been studying the craft religiously since childhood...

The tune ended, and apparently the pianist had had enough for the day. He got up, projecting a tall figure on the drawn curtains; Takao wasn't sure, it could have just been the shadow of someone standing far from the window. But then... The man in the apartment picked up something from the side, pulling from it a long thin strip of fabric that he then wrapped around his thumb with well practiced speed; this was then repeated for all his fingers.

It took a moment, but that was when Takao realized the silhouette _did_ look oddly familiar.

He let out a little chuckle, smile refusing to subside. If Midorima lived so comfortably in a place like this, there was no way he'd want to move to the cheap, cramped, dingy little neighbourhood Takao resided at. Even if it _was_ closer to where the doctor worked. Hell, with the way his floor creaked, Takao seriously doubted it could even support a piano.

"... It's getting late," He reminded himself. Temptation to check the unit number was quickly shoved down, and he pulled out the map once more, turning away to try locating the bar again.

Fin. 31 May 2013.


	8. Chapter 8

**((A.N.: **Sorry I haven't updated in awhile! It's the end of the semester where I am, meaning assignment deadlines, presentations, exams, and a major cosplay event all at once! Making for a tired and sometimes cranky writer x.x Not to mention, le gasp, NaNoWriMo! I don't really see how I'll manage during this period, but… Here goes! The next chapter might really have to wait QUITE awhile seeing as how I'm barely managing as is, sorry in advance! As always reviews welcome!**))**

Takao had always been one with rather transparent moods. By the time his shift approached its' end that day, pretty much all his co-workers concluded that he'd gotten himself hitched.

Taking advantage of his good mood though, came a 'small' number of requests to exchange shifts or work overtime; Takao answering favourably to most of which. When the magic time came that he'd usually be clocking off at, he found himself stuck with another 2 hours of work before he could go home.

He shrugged it off happily. It wasn't like he wasn't getting paid for overtime.

With that attitude, by the end of the day Takao had gained a handful of new adoring female fans, some good working relations and a couple of favours. He was just about to clean up his cash register when the door slid open again, prompting him to look up and welcome the customer with a cheerful "irasshaimase!"

Or, so he planned, till he realized the customer was staring at him through black-framed glasses, with emerald green eyes.

"... Ah, Midorima sensei." He chirped, struggling to contain his excitement. "Good evening~" Only then did Takao take note of the clothes Midorima wore; a loose fitting white t-shirt and orange jogging pants. "Out for a run?" He attempted casual conversation while taking the bottle of fruit juice Midorima placed on his counter.

"Yeah."

Nothing more was said till Takao handed the tall doctor his purchase in a bag, but to keen eyes, it seemed as if Midorima was struggling to speak.

"When do you get off work?" He finally asked, just as Takao had begun to think nothing would happen. What actually _was_ said though instantly made the shorter man blush.

"Uhh... Actually you came in when I was about to clock off... Hehe..."

It was Midorima's turn to fidget, thankfully there weren't many other customers around to notice. Takao's co-workers however were another matter entirely.

"I'll... Wait outside."

That was all he said before taking his change and heading out, leaving a very flustered and speechless cashier in his wake.

By the time Takao had, in his considerably embarrassed state managed to clock off, Midorima had been waiting outside for ten minutes, give or take. That may or may not have had to do with Takao's co-workers giving him extra work, just to test the patience of his 'potential suitor'.

Quickly telling them off for even calling his doctor that, the flustered man made his sheepish way out to where, sure enough, Midorima stood waiting with an empty bottle of fruit juice. Once he spotted the shorter man though he promptly tossed it, kicking himself up off the parapet he'd been leaning against. "Sorry it took so long sensei." Takao chuckled, and was quickly but silently pardoned; wordlessly the two started back towards the direction of Takao's apartment.

The shorter man took occasional glances up at his companion, who made no attempts at conversation; a striking difference from the person who'd asked to look inside his apartment. He heaved a sigh, relaxing his fingers upon discovering he'd been wringing them. "So... Sensei," that seemed to snap up Midorima's attention, the taller man turning to look down at a forcibly nonchalant Takao. "You work pretty long hours eh? Being a doctor and all."

"I work office hours actually." The green-haired man shrugged, though after a second of silence he seemed to realize he'd have killed the potential conversation if he just left it at that. "So, most days I go jogging in the evening like this."

Takao let out a soft chuckle, unaware that Midorima was nervously playing with a loose thread in his pocket. "You really are a doctor huh." He mused, hands stuffed in his own pockets so the doctor wouldn't see them shaking. "Sensei, are you..."

"Midorima is fine."

"Oh..." Takao revised himself, his blush thankfully concealed by dusk. "Err, _Midorima_, you busy or something? I was wondering if you'd wanna grab a drink somewhere." The moment Takao released that invitation, he regretted it instantly. Somehow putting it into words made it sound so much clearer how abrupt he must've sounded.

Sure enough, when he gathered his courage to peer up at Midorima, the taller man was staring ahead of them, stiff and tense. Just before Takao started up an attempt to redeem himself however, Midorima spoke up instead.

"Uhh, I'm sorry, I..." Oh, great going, Takao thought, giving himself a mental face-palm and screwing his eyes tightly shut. "I'm still sweaty from my jog, so is it alright if I go back first and meet you in about half an hour?"

Well, that wasn't quite what Takao had been expecting. "O-of course!" he exclaimed, immediately hushing when he heard his own volume. "I probably need to wash up a bit too, shift just ended and all."

He ended on a nervous chuckle, very naturally turning towards the doctor, eyes widening when he got a better look. Midorima's stern, tense features had softened into the most subtle of smiles, instantly reminding Takao why at times he'd thought of this person as rather... Cute.

"Alright then, I'll see you in a bit." He stammered, immediately ducking into his apartment block.

Fin. 1 Jun 2013.


	9. Chapter 9

**((A.N.: **Ok I feel really bad that I'm going to have to stop updating for quite some time so, before I go here's another chapter! Hope you enjoy~**))**

Takao rollercoastered through a shower, spending most of his time in his bedroom picking out a set of clothes that was the perfect balance between showy, and nonchalant. Having exhausted a good half of his closet, he turned to look at his bed; multiple shirts and jackets sprawled unceremoniously over it. That was however, when something else caught his eye. Specifically a white paper crane on his bedside table; Takao only then recalled leaving it there after reading it a couple of nights ago.

Drawing in a deep breath, he stepped away from the mirror in his closet, dropping yet another shirt on the bed, gently picking the crane up by its' wing. He wondered for the briefest of moments if Ryou would have done what he was doing. Especially if he was going out with Shin. The crane was placed back on the bedside table, Takao cautiously glancing between the jar in his open closet, and the bed covered with shirts.

He plucked another large white crane from the string, reminding himself to thread all of them back together before he forgot their sequence.

_[Wahh today was fun!]_ Takao read, sitting on the side of his bed after sweeping his clothes out of the way. _[I managed to gather the guys to play basketball together like old times~ Of course Akashicchi was busy so he didn't come, but he got someone to send over a NBA grade Spalding ball for us to use wwww. That's so like him~ xD]_ Whoever this "Akashicchi" was, recalling the previous cranes, Takao supposed he was some kind of high government official or the sort. _[But it was great, we split into teams of 3 (Kagamicchi came too~) so, I got to play against Shin again after so long.]_

Ah, there it was, the magic word. Takao started reading much more carefully, while absent-mindedly reaching for the nearest shirt he could reach.

_[The last time was in highschool, I think? But yeah. his shots are still impossible to block www. He kept doing long-distance shots as if he was trying to prove something xD]_

Slipping the shirt on and pulling it over his head, Takao let out a little whistle. He'd played a bit of basketball in middle school and highschool, though at the time he lived in a different district. His school however, had been more interested in baseball rather than basketball, so the team never really made it anywhere.

So, this Shin was good at 3-pointers. Inexplicably, Takao felt... Proud, just a tad; perhaps Ryou's adoration had started seeping over to his reader as well.

_[But anyways, we had Murasakibaracchi (mouthful!) on our side, plus Aominecchi, so even if they had Kagamicchi and Kurokocchi together, (Shin couldn't catch Kurokocchi's passes pfft) we still won, hah~ Though... That's not really what I'm glad about...]_ "Yeah? Go on?" Takao mumbled, grabbing a tub of hairwax._ [After playing, Aominecchi was just being his usual self, but, well... He hugged me? I mean, I'm close to Aominecchi, but before, he'd hug me around the shoulder from behind or mess up my hair. This time it was... Different. He hugged me face to face haha... I guess I was surprised, but still I'm glad we're still close like that, even after what happened in highschool. What made me really happy though, was that... Shin shifted Aominecchi away from me.]_

Takao, at that moment, setting his look with hairspray, probably wouldn't have stopped reading even if Midorima had been waiting for him downstairs already.

_[I mean, it's probably just him not wanting to see embarrassing things like that on court, Shin was always really straight-laced after all... But, I'm allowed to feel just a little bit happy... Right?]_

The writing came to and end, Takao still seated at the edge of his bed, mind shifting back to reality. At least, his own reality.

Well, if Ryou could take little hints like that, what would it be saying about his own situation? Midorima had been wandering around the place since he moved in, asked to visit his apartment despite living comfortably nearby, and now agreed to go drinking despite the inconvenience.

Caught in such thoughts, it took him a moment to realize the knocking on his door must've been Midorima.

He quickly finished up folding the crane back into shape, almost leaping towards the door.

It was several hours later when Takao returned to his apartment again.

Despite the ungodly hour, he found himself too excited to sleep. In the onset of his night out with Midorima, he'd returned home, hopped to his bedroom and gently kissed the paper crane he'd been reading before heading out.

Over a couple of drinks the two had talked a fair bit; about their careers, about Takao's band, about why Midorima bandaged his hands. Takao discovered that the doctor was somewhat of a stickler for superstition, and tuned in to something called Oha-Asa every morning. Coincidentally, the bar they found themselves at turned out to be the one Takao had been 'volunteered' to scout with no success. He also covertly 'discovered' that Midorima in fact _did_ live nearby, and _did_ play the piano. Though when the doctor asked why he didn't seem surprised, he shrugged it off with a quick 'you looked like a piano kind of person.'

It then also came to light the reason why Midorima had never called Takao by his name wasn't aloofness, or to keep his distance, but rather because the doctor was too shy to admit he'd forgotten his patient's name.

Takao had laughed over his beer before staring off into the distance, filling Midorima in on that information.

More importantly than anything else though, was that Midorima's planned visit to his apartment was going to be the very next day; that was all he could really think of while sweeping all his shirts off the bed and plopping down onto it. Sure he had band practice, but if he came home right after instead of hanging out with the boys, it'd have been perfect.

Cleaning up could wait till tomorrow, so he thought to himself, inebriation toppling him over the edge of a deep, satisfying sleep.

Fin. 3 Jun 2013


	10. Chapter 10

**((A.N.: **I am SO sorry for the delay! These few weeks have been rather crazy for me, but now classes are over and so is the major cosplay event hehe~ So, updates will now resume! Do enjoy~ Reviews welcome!**))**

As everyone packed up to leave the studio, the keyboardist let out a cry of dismay when their lead vocalist turned down the invitation to go bar hopping. "Whaaaat? You serious? Come on, we're just gonna grab a couple drinks and chill out is all! You don't even have equipment to carry, lucky prick." He griped, crossing his arms and pushing his bottom lip out.

Takao shrugged, digging his hands into his pockets. "Sorry guys, I gotta get home for something." He laughed sheepishly, inching towards the door.

The bassist grabbed him before he could pull a fast one. "Heeeeh Kazu, you got yourself a chick dincha?" He taunted, pinching Takao's chin playfully.

"Lay off!"

Such was the brief exchange after band practice, Takao quickly shuffling out the door despite protests from the rest of his gang. "Sorry guys, I'll make it up to you next time!"

"You're treating!"

It was fine, just once. More than anything else Takao needed to get home and clean up his apartment, Midorima was scheduled to come visit that afternoon after all. He was halfway through putting away all the shirts he'd swept onto the floor, when the same steady knocking as the previous night was heard.

With a panicked gasp, he bunched up whatever was left, threw it into the bottom of the closet and reminded himself not to open it, or even move too much around it when Midorima was in the room. A quick glance in the mirror later, he raced to the door, breathing deeply before pulling it open.

"Hey there sensei~" He chirped happily, all too aware that his hand was shaking.

Midorima however didn't seem too focused on what he was doing, instead looking around Takao into the apartment. True, he was just a little disappointed, but in an odd way it helped him calm down. Perhaps the doctor really was just looking at his humble abode, with nothing else in mind.

With the slightest ever of beckons, Takao invited Midorima into the apartment, immediately rushing into the kitchen. "Sensei, care for some coffee?"

"If it's no trouble." The doctor muttered while stepping in. "How long have you been staying here?"

"Only about a week or more..." Came the cheerful reply, just as the smell of coffee wafted out of the kitchen. "Ah, but I've more or less decided to stay, for convenience." He added quickly, walking out with two mugs and handing Midorima the one that looked, well, much less personalized. The doctor, seemingly just as uneasy as Takao, took the mug with a quick word of thanks. The two sank back into their respective silence, save an occasional glance at each other.

"Should I show you around the place?" Takao eventually piped up, setting down his mug; perhaps embarrassed that Midorima kept staring at a visual-kei band poster he'd put up on the wall. Giving a quick nod, Midorima finished what was left of his coffee and got to his feet; Takao once again reminded himself how incredibly tall the other man was.

The rest of the 'tour' went fine, though Takao passed by his bedroom several times without going in; perhaps a guilty conscience wanting to make sure his clothes didn't tumble out of the closet in a shameful tangle of sleeves. Soon enough though there was only that one room left unexplored, and Takao heaved a sigh before stepping aside, showing Midorima in.

He seemed calm, even as Takao kept his eyes nervously plastered on the closet door, watching for warning signs of his clothes breaching containment. Though, when Takao turned to look at the doctor again, he could have spit out his teeth; Midorima was reaching for one of the white paper cranes sitting innocuously on his bedside table.

The host rushed in, plucking the crane out of Midorima's immediate reach and hiding it behind his back; however, now he was sandwiched between Midorima, and the wall next to his bedside table, chuckling sheepishly. "Eh, ehehe... It's, uhh, this is nothing." He smiled, stuffing it into his back pocket while Midorima broke into a rare smile.

"It's a paper crane right?" The doctor said while taking a step back, allowing Takao to relax instead of backing up against the wall. "What's wrong with a paper crane."

'Oh there is _sooooo_ much wrong with _this_ one.' Takao thought to himself, the closet forgotten while he inched out of the close encounter. Obviously though he couldn't tell Midorima why exactly. The veiling excuse eventually came from the very first paper crane that he'd read.

"Well, it's a really girly hobby isn't it?" He started, gaze shifting to his feet in a guilty conscience he didn't know he had. "For a grown guy like me to be folding paper cranes and stuff. It's kind of... Weird." He shrugged it off with a laugh, but for that moment, he could vividly feel how Ryou must have when admitting such a thing; even if just on paper. Any other day he could have laughed it off, but there he was, stuck with a forced smile and the urge to run out of his own apartment.

"I think it's fine." Midorima whispered, just barely loud enough for Takao to catch what he said, and the shorter man looked up at his guest, pleasantly surprised. After giving his host a pat on the shoulder, Midorima walked over to the bedroom door. "If what you're doing helps you in some way, why would you care about what anyone else thinks."

"I guess you're right." He chuckled with a relieved sigh, heading back into the living room.

After a bit more conversation, Takao saw Midorima off at the door, sheepishly waving even after Midorima silently disappeared down the staircase. As tempted as he was to sit by his window and watch Midorima leaving, he figured that having had the doctor visit was plenty enough already, and settled for plopping on his bed, messy clothes long forgotten as he dug the paper crane out of his pocket.

He stared at it, a little smile on his face as he placed it carefully back on the bedside table.

"Thanks a bunch, Ryou."

Fin. 10 Jun 2013


	11. Chapter 11

**((A.N.:** Exam period approaches OTL There will be much bloodshed. Probably many of you have wondered where Midorima's trademark neurosis fluttered off to. Well, here it is. Also, on a totally random note, a friend got me into Kuragehime. Isn't it adorable? I find Shuushuu such a cutie. THAT BEING SAID. Reviews welcome, and thanks for all the lovely messages you guys have already sent me, it means a lot!**))**

Takao opened his eyes that morning five minutes before his alarm went off. The sun was bright, the air crisp, and a pigeon was sitting on his windowsill grooming itself without a care in the world. Smiling a retardedly large grin, the man hopped up off his bed and headed into the bathroom humming a little tune that sounded like a potential new song for his band.

He placed a kettle on the stove, despite his tendency to skip breakfasts. While reaching for sliced bread, he hesitated before flicking on the radio that hadn't been touched since the last baseball season. Nothing much seemed too entertaining, the weather, the news and various stock reports didn't interest him. Idly surfing through frequencies, he stopped at an oddly cheerful sounding DJ.

"... so be sure to grasp every opportunity you have! In 4th place we have Gemini. Friends of this horoscope would want to hold onto a pink coin pouch today as your lucky item!..."

Takao knew he'd never been one much for horoscopes and the likes, but the bubbly DJ matched his mood. With a smile and a shrug, he left it at that and returned to the bathroom to fix his hair.

"Cancer, you're 7th place today. That isn't too bad, but please be sure to hold on to an electric guitar as your lucky item!"

Electric guitar hmm, Takao mused, shifting his gaze from the mirror to the sofa in the living room. On it innocuously sat his baby, safely in its' case after the last practice session. He shrugged with a sigh, wondering if anyone would seriously carry an electric guitar around with them all day just because of a radio show horoscope reading.

The kettle whistled, and Takao switched the radio off.

Within the hour Takao was done with all his preparations, even the plates and cups from breakfast were clean on the drying rack. Satisfied, he tapped on his shoes and headed downstairs.

Once the street outside his building came into view though, the man froze in his tracks.

"Mi-Midorima sensei?" He gawked, heading over to the doctor who was trying his very best to look like he'd just passed by. The taller man quickly nodded a greeting as Takao came to a halt in front of him. "Ahaha, what a coincidence seeing you here, on your way to work?"

"Obviously." Midorima huffed at first, immediately going quiet after as if feeling guilty. Takao shrugged it off with a laugh. "I uh, I recall seeing you have an electric guitar."

"Yeah sure I do, why-"

Funny, the raven-haired man paused in thought. That was the second time that morning he'd paid any attention to his beloved instrument. He then recalled the conversation they'd had at the bar.

"... Hey Sensei, you don't happen to be a horoscope person do you?"

Midorima seemed to relax at this, a little smile appearing on his face. "I'm relieved, you listen to Oha-Asa too?"

The urge to snort and laugh was all but forgotten, Takao rolling his eyes away sheepishly. "Well sort of, just don't really go for the lucky items thing. Anyways, you need my electric guitar?" At that point, Takao had the ever slight feeling of betraying his beloved guitar to appease his crush, a full out 'bros before hos' moment. "You wanna wait here? Or you can come upstairs with me to get it."

With a little shrug, Midorima merely followed as Takao thudded up the stairs and headed towards his apartment. The door swung open once again, the dishes from breakfast still drying on the rack. The doctor stepped in after his host, pausing at the doorway while Takao headed to the living room to retrieve his pride and joy.

"Aaand here." He grinned, handing Midorima the straps of his guitar case. "I don't really get how lucky items work though, do you need to take it out of its' case?"

"Not necessarily." The doctor sighed, taking the instrument carefully. "I'm going to stay in the clinic for consultation, so I'll just keep it in my office."

"I... See." Well, Takao shrugged with a sigh of relief; at least there weren't any band practice sessions coming up, and the next gig was awhile away yet. Not to mention of most the people he knew, this neurotic doctor was probably the one person he felt the safest entrusting his baby to.

Takao quickly noted the subtle flush on Midorima's face as they exited the apartment, himself sagely suppressing his own fluster down to a gentle smile while locking the door behind him.

The two covered the joint portion of their respective journeys to work in silence. In the meanwhile, with a few more subtle glances, Takao mused at how tiny his guitar looked when strapped to Midorima's broad back. Beyond a slight turn of his head, the doctor didn't seem to pay particular attention to the resulting chuckle.

"Well", Takao chirped, reaching out a hand. "I'm probably going to get off work earlier than you do usually, so I'll just wait for you to drop my baby off back home?"

Midorima took the hand in a gentle shake. "Sounds fine."

Fin. 30 Jul 2013


End file.
